Conviction rate remains at 13% in Pune
The conviction rate in Pune sessions court has dropped to 13% in 2024, marking a decrease compared to 17% in 2023 and 15% in 2022
PUNE The conviction rate in Pune sessions court has dropped to 13% in 2024, marking a decrease compared to 17% in 2023 and 15% in 2022. This continuing trend has raised concerns among legal experts and authorities about the efficiency of the policing process and the challenges in securing convictions in criminal cases.
As per data shared by Pune police on Wednesday in 2024, out of the 320 cases in sessions court 281 were acquitted and 39 were convicted with a conviction rate of 13 %. In 2023, session court cases were 365 out of which 302 were acquitted and 63 were convicted.
In 2022, session court cases were 366 out of which 311 were acquittal and 55 were convicted with conviction rate of 15 %.
Meanwhile, the city witnessed an increase in Judicial Magistrate of First Class (JMFC) cases in 2024.
As per the data, the city recorded an 18% conviction rate in 2024 in JMFC cases, as compared to 4% in 2023 and 10% in 2022. In 2024, JMFC court cases were 1,419 out of which 1,166 were acquitted and 253 were convicted with a conviction rate of 18%.
Data states that in 2023, JMFC court cases were 5,285 out of which 5,061 were acquitted and 224 were convicted with a conviction rate of 4%. In 2022, JMFC court cases were 5,838 out of which 5,262 were acquitted and 576 were convicted, with a conviction rate of 10%.
Amitesh Kumar, Pune police commissioner, said, that to improve the conviction rate we have launched a case adoption system. “Under this, each DCP rank officer will adopt at least 10 cases like murder, rape, and Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for the positive disposal of it. DCP rank officers will provide all technical and legal help to get the desired conviction. Hence soon we can see an increase in conviction rate.’’
The low conviction rate is seen as a reflection of various factors, including issues related to evidence gathering, witness testimonies, and delays in the judicial system. Experts suggest that while Pune’s law enforcement agencies are working diligently, systemic hurdles often impede the successful prosecution of cases.
“the conviction rate is concerning. There are multiple reasons behind this, including challenges in evidence collection, witness reluctance, and slow legal procedures. We need to work towards improving coordination between law enforcement and the judiciary to address these issues,” said a senior legal expert requesting anonymity.